


Mission 1: Truth Will Set You Free

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-23
Updated: 2006-03-23
Packaged: 2019-02-02 18:28:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12731928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: This is a story bringing the characters of Lord Iain and Andrew from Nicci's and my story "An Diabhul tighearna" into the SGC. Truth lights, hot sparkage, feisty Scots, swords.





	Mission 1: Truth Will Set You Free

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

Jack was bored. The General, fed up with Jack's back-up in paperwork, put down an ultimatum after he and Daniel came back from Scotland. The Colonel had to sit at his desk during work hours until it was all caught up, except for potty breaks and meals. SG-1 would be grounded until he was finished.

He'd been good. He had caught up on writing the last sixteen mission reports over the last two days.

/Shit, this is ridiculous. Daniel and Sam write enough in their reports for five SG teams. My input isn't necessary. Sheesh! I'm taking a break. Let's see what's new on the SGC group site./

"Shit, Godamnit, I'm going to kill them!"

Ferretti stuck his head in the door right then. "Hey, Jack, you look really hot in a skirt. Wanna go out with me sometime? I like hairy legs."

The Major ran out after Jack growled, laughing like a crazy man.

/I can't go to them, so I'll get them here./

O'Neill started punching in numbers.

Fifteen minutes later, Carter, Fraiser, Daniel, and Teal'c were standing in front of his desk.

Jack called up the file on the group site just labeled "MacNeill." He turned it around so that they all could see the pictures.

"Okay. Which one of you did this?" He got up and walked slowly around his desk. Daniel was the first one he faced.

"Daniel? They had to get the pictures from you."

"Jack, we both gave Sam that set of extra pictures, remember?" The archeologist flashed an apologetic look over at Sam as he said this.

"Yes, but we didn't give her permission to make fun of her CO with them, did we?"

"Um, no."

He faced Sam and Fraiser. He knew that these two had done it. "I am now the laughing stock of the SGC, since the two of you put these pictures up of my private vacation. I want to know why you did that."

"Because you looked so hot, Sir, we just had to share those pictures around. We thought you would like everyone to see you holding that big, um, fish, you know." Janet's brown eyes twinkled as she talked.

"You do realize, Fraiser, Carter, that Ferretti is now taking bets on several things that are embarrassing me, don't you? Things like what I have under the kilt, how big my fish really is, you know, that sort of thing."

Janet, her brown eyes laughing even more, said, "Inquiring minds like to know, Sir."

That did it for Daniel. He smiled, then started giggling, and Janet and Sam quickly followed. Teal'c just watched his friends fondly, thinking that the Tauri were really weird.

Jack finally gave in and smiled. "Okay, Doc, what are the bets running at?"

"Well, the underwear under the kilt people have the lead, Sir, I think the range for the length of the, ah, fish was between three inches and sixteen,"

"Sixteen inches? That isn't humanly possible to take inside a human body, is it?"

"Daniel, get your mind out of the dirt."

"But Jack, archeologists are supposed to have their minds in the dirt. It is my field, after all."

He gave his laughing lover a mock glare. "Now, Doc, I want the names of anyone who placed a bet for six inches and less. Give me that, and I'll let this go, this time. I am also going to get a quarter of yours and Feretti's profits, since I'm the one who has to tell you the facts. That way I can take Teal'c out to dinner since I know he didn't have anything to do with this."

"Well, actually, Daniel was going to tell..." Sam petered out when O'Neill glared at her. "Sorry, sir."

"Dismissed. Now get those pics off my bulletin board within the hour, you hear me, Carter?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Good. Now I'd better get back to my paperwork."

Jack had finally finished his paperwork two days later. The General thanked him for his fortitude, told him sternly to keep up with it from now on, and scheduled a surprise briefing for SG-1 later on the last paperwork day.

"O'Neill, what is this meeting about again?"

"Teal'c, I told you twice already. We're getting a British team for our next SG team."

"I do not understand this nationality thing, O'Neill. You all live on the same planet. Why do you have so many borders between you? Are you all not the same people?"

Jack just looked at Daniel desperately.

"Teal'c, for most of our world, the people don't know there are other worlds but ours. Before the jet age, people were limited by geography, and it took months to travel between continents. Individual civilizations grew up out of that isolation, and many wars were fought over different reasons, such as land, resources, riches, that sort of thing."

"Thank you, DanielJackson. I believe I understand now."

General Hammond came in right then, with four men dressed in British Special Forces outfits.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet our new SG team, to be designated SG-20. They will be representing England under the terms of our new alliance."

"The commanding officer will be Lt. Colonel Iain Murray. His team will consist of Sergeant-Major MacPherson, Captain Evans, and Sergeant Surrey. Everyone, this is my flagship team, SG-1."

Daniel smiled when he saw Iain and Andrew. Jack just had his poker face on.

"I'm going to leave you two teams together to get acquainted with each other. SG-20, you'll be riding shotgun with SG-1 for the next six missions as training for what to expect when you're off world. We'll discuss your first mission in twenty minutes."

After Hammond left, Daniel came up to Andrew and Iain, a smile of welcome on his face. "Andrew! I thought you were retired from the force."

"Yon wee babbe Lt. Colonel recalled me, Daniel. I was snockered shewing round yon sassenach like yerin, and after that stramash when ye and MacNeill were there, tis seemed a mite born' afters."

"Daniel?" Jack actually growled.

"Quit teasing Jack, Andrew. Speak so he can understand."

"Ach, I got bored and missed the excitement after ye left, so I decided to re-up when Iain asked me to come wi' him here."

Jack nodded at Andrew. "Good to have you with us, Sgt-Mjr."

O'Neill walked over to Iain. Jack stared up at the good-looking officer. "I see you made Lt. Colonel as a result of Daniel almost getting sacrificed, Murray."

The younger man grinned, returning Jack's alpha challenge right back at O'Neill. If there had been a piece of paper between the two of them, the poor thing would have spontaneously combusted from the sparkage that flew in that moment.

"Happy to see you again too, Jack, old boy. We missed you guys after you left. By the way, thanks for suggesting me to your Joint Chiefs of Staff to lead this team. It seems like the most exciting place to be on the entire planet."

Jack flushed a bit when the Scotsman let it out that it had been Jack who had recommended Iain. Daniel looked at Jack, a little confused. Jack had always acted like he barely tolerated Iain, and after that little incident with the sword fight...

Iain introduced the other two members of the team. There was a dark- haired lady Captain, Louise Evans, and a seasoned-looking Sergeant Surrey who looked like he could take Teal'c on, if just because of his size.

When Teal'c and Sergeant Surrey, who was built like a tank, were introduced, then entire group watched the alpha challenge that went on with something akin to awe. First Teal'c tensed his strong neck muscles, looking down on the slightly shorter (only six feet four or so) Surrey with disdain. Surrey sneered in contempt, then flexed not only his neck and jaw muscles, but his pecs and arm muscles underneath his uniform. The fact that the movements could even be seen under the formal duds was impressive enough. Teal'c looked unimpressed as he suddenly flexed his entire musculature, without moving from the spot he was standing in. The power of the man was obvious.

Iain's sea-colored eyes were almost bug-eyed at the Jaffa's show, and he moved over to Jack and whispered, "Shit, yon great laddy makes me feel like a geek! And I thought Surrey was bad."

"Teal'c makes everyone feel that way. You do know he's a Jaffa, don't you? They're stronger than us 'cause of their snake babies." Jack looked Iain up and down. The kid looked really good in his dress uniform, though not as good as he did in a kilt. "You got no cause to complain, Earl." One of Iain's other titles was the Earl of Manchester, which Jack loved to tease him with.

Trust Iain to grab a mile when he was offered an inch, or would that be a centimeter? He checked Jack out in return and actually purred, "I've always preferred the tall slender silver-haired types, myself, or maybe the brilliant scholarly ones like Daniel." His eyes moved over to where Daniel was watching the peacock displays going on with his mouth adorably open. "That mouth of his should be labeled a lethal weapon."

Jack was torn between outrage at the younger officer's flirty impertinence, jealousy at the hungry look Iain flashed Daniel's mouth, and amusement that the Earl hadn't lost his talent for driving Jack nuts. Jack never knew whether to treat the kid like he was a potential lover, a rival, or a menace. One thing O'Neill did know was that Murray was a damned fine officer and could be trusted to watch his six in dangerous situations. If the hot Scot happened to be a menace to his or Daniel's sixes off-duty, well, Jack could handle that.

Surrey finally had to admit he'd been bested by a Master. He grinned at Teal'c, and said in a strong Cockney accent, "Cor, yer a big un, ain'tcha? Glad to meet cha, Teal'c."

Teal'c curled up a lip in satisfaction and, surprisingly enough, in friendliness, then he bowed his head in the traditional Jaffa greeting.

Louise and Sam had already pulled slightly away from the testosterone overflow and grinned at each other.

"Men are the same the world over, aren't they, Major?"

"Actually, they're the same the galaxy over, as you'll find out, Captain. Remind me to tell you about this planet where I was sold to a warleader and had to fight him to the death for my freedom."

The Captain barked out a laugh. "No? This is going to be an interesting gig, I can see that."

General Hammond came in right then to go over the information with them for planet PDT-555. Both teams were scheduled for a detailed scientific survey. The place had evidence of advance technology, and suspected Goa'uld involvement.

* * *

"SG-1 and SG-20, you have a go. See you in four days."

Jack stood next to Iain, amusing himself at the younger man's trying to disguise his feelings of awe and nervousness.

"Don't worry, Murray, it's a piece of cake. Just be glad you ate that big lunch before you came like I told you to."

Iain glared at O'Neill. "Actually, I didn't eat it. Major Carter told me about your trick on her the first time she went through, and warned me not to eat much. You'll have to get your jollies some other way than watching me spew, Colonel."

/I'm going to kill Carter for that. This guy's kind of overconfident, and getting them spewing is the best way to knock it out of them in a hurry./

"Hmmmph. Well, don't just stand there until I retire, go on."

"Do you mind if I just look at it for a bit? This is meaning of life kind of stuff, you know."

"Na, I don't mind."

Jack pushed Iain into the wormhole, the other man's yell cut off as he stepped through.

"Jack, that was mean." Daniel came up next to Jack.

"Damn wormhole would've cut off before he got his ass through. Come on, Daniel, let's go."

Together they stepped through to another world.

Iain looked pale, and angry as hell, judging by the glare he sent at Jack. He wiped the frost from his face, hiked up his pack to a more comfortable position, checked his P-90 to make sure it was still working correctly, then followed Jack and Daniel down the steps to clear the way for the others.

Daniel had immediately been drawn to a large flat rock with writing carved into it about ten feet from the DHD. Jack checked out the terrain, threat assessing to make sure his archeologist would be safe even that far away.

After Iain had done his own assessment, he came up to Jack. "I will get you for that, O'Neill."

The Colonel grinned at Iain. "I look forward to you trying, Lt. Colonel."

"Sir, Captain Evans and I need to set up the astronomy data retrieval system on the melp over on that hill, then we can go and meet the natives of this planet, if you want. The stellar phenomenon looks like it's going to be fascinating..."

Jack cut her off, there wasn't time for a lecture right now. "Okay. Before we meet the natives, I want Daniel to translate that pillar thing over there, to see if we can expect some snakes to come wondering through."

"MacPherson, Surrey, head out and do a wide perimeter walk, check for more rocks with writing on it and anything else of risk. Don't touch anything if you find it, just report back by radio to us. Teal'c, go with Evans and Carter and act as guard and backup while they do their thing."

Teal'c and Andrew nodded and Surrey saluted.

"Fer crying out loud, Sergeant, you don't need to salute me out in the field or our arms will get tired."

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Lt. Colonel, you and I have Daniel watch."

"Daniel watch?"

"You betcha. That man is the most valuable resource the SGC has, and as you saw in Scotland, he's a trouble magnet at the best of times. All the evil and psychotic beings in the galaxy seem to have the hots for Dr. Jackson, and so I spend a lot of my time watching his six. You gotta problem with that?"

"Um, no. I'm just surprised that the General doesn't just assign an enlisted man or a Marine to guard Daniel. It seems like it's a waste of resources to have a bird Colonel doing it."

"Actually, everyone who works with Daniel watches his six, Murray. I do it when we're on missions as SG-1 because I don't trust anyone to do it better. It isn't a waste of resources. Trust me, if he ever goes out with your team, you'll do the same. Like I said, he's valuable."

"I expect that knowing you'd murder anyone who brought back even a slightly ruffled archeologist would make any commanding officer do the same."

"Well, there is that. And it wouldn't just be me. They'd have Teal'c, Carter, Hammond, Fraiser, Ferretti, and half the SGC Marines after 'em as well."

Iain laughed, turning back to watch Daniel brushing at a muddy section of the stone. "I'll remember that, Colonel." He walked over to Daniel. "Daniel, is there anything I can do to help?"

The smile the archeologist sent Iain's way told him the real reason everyone would kill anyone who dared to let Daniel get hurt. It made the Scotsman feel like he was the most wonderful person on earth.

"You could brush this dirt and mud away from the carvings while I translate, if you would. Thanks, Iain."

Jack found himself glaring at Murray's muscular ass as he ingratiated himself with Daniel by actually looking like he was enjoying grubbing in the dirt.

"Murray, we're supposed to be watching Daniel's six, not playing archeologist."

Iain, looking like a child with a big spot of dirt on his nose, grinned up at the Colonel. "Well, since I've noticed you're there doing such a *wonderful* job with watching Daniel's and my sixes, Colonel, I figured that I would lend Daniel a hand." To emphasize his statement, he actuality had the temerity to wiggle his ass at Jack!

Jack bared his teeth at the Lt. Colonel, letting the younger man know he wasn't that easily taken in by Iain wiggling his charms at him. Not that the charms weren't, um, impressive, or anything. But Jack had years of experience of not paying attention to distractions. After all, he did have Daniel Jackson as a teammate, and the man was a walking distraction, and had been from the start of it all.

"Lt. Colonel, in case you don't remember the General's talk earlier, I'll repeat what he said. He said that Colonel O'Neill is in charge of this mission, with Major Carter as 2IC. That means you're supposed to do what I say. Unless your military does it differently?"

Jack's tone of voice would have told anyone who knew him that they had better hop to what he wanted done, or face the famous O'Neill temper. Even Daniel noticed it, and glanced away from his find to see what had got his lover's Irish up this time.

Unfortunately, Sir Iain Colin MacTavish Murray, the Earl of Cavendish, only saw that he had the Colonel of his dreams all fired up. He just grinned at him, then stood up straight, saluted, barking out, "Colonel O'Neill, request permission to aid Dr. Jackson in his excavation work, Sir!"

O'Neill came over to the younger man so that they were almost nose to nose. Brown eyes bore into laughing sea-blue eyes, neither looking away.

By now Daniel was transfixed by the struggle going between his lover and their friend, all archeological fervor gone for the moment. Transfixed with a capital 'T', including an emerging hard-on as he responded to the sparkage between the two military men. Wow, these two were hot together! How come he'd never noticed it before? Sheesh, he really was a clueless bastard. There weren't many people who could match Jack's killer stare eye for eye like that. He never could himself. He always distracted Jack by fluttering his eyelashes, or licking his lips to throw him off his mettle when Jack flashed him the 'stare'. It always worked, too.

"You will learn to do what I say, Murray, if I have to knock you on your ass to drill it into your thick Scottish head." O'Neill growled deep in his throat, sending Daniel's hard-on from semi to completely rigid in an instant. Daniel loved when Jack used that tone of voice!

"Here, on the job, yes I will, Colonel O'Neill. Only here, though, and that's what's driving you bonkers, isn't it?" Iain was having the same response to Jack's alpha growling voice as Daniel, and even though he was capitulating to military discipline on the surface, the sparks in his unusual eyes that didn't drop from Jack's told the truth of it.

"As long as you do it here, I got nothing else to say to you about the other. I will tame, urh, train you, Lt. Colonel, and teach you some military protocols that you didn't seem to learn in Her Majesty's service. We do things differently here."

Iain glanced down at Jack's obvious erection, then back up into the brown eyes. "Oh, I don't know, Sir, seem's to me things look about the same over here as back home. May I help Daniel, Sir?"

Scarlet-faced with a combination of embarrassment, fury, and out and out lust, Jack got out, "Yeah. Go ahead and get your ass over there and help." O'Neill turned away for a second to regroup (and re- adjust, kind of cramped in there). /The Earl's ass is mine after that, you just wait.../

Once Iain and Daniel were down at the pillar again, Daniel whispered to the Scotsman, "Iain, do you like baiting tigers, or something? You had him close to beating the shit out of you, closer than I've seen him in a while, since Colonel Makepeace left!"

"Oh, you loved it, Daniel, admit it!" Iain grinned, nodding playfully at Daniel's obvious enjoyment of the scene.

The linguist smiled, unconsciously fluttering his eyelashes at the handsome Brit. "Shit, guilty as charged! You were both unbelievably hot. Just be careful you don't get burnt playing with the fire that's Colonel Jack O'Neill, Iain. Trust me on this. I know him. Oh, and we are exclusive."

"Ahh, but for how much longer, Daniel, eh?"

Now it was Daniel's turn to blush at the impudent Scotsman.

"Daniel, have you finished that translation yet?" Jack barked, not liking the blushing and the flirty looks at all.

"Almost, Jack. Just a few more minutes, okay?" Now the eyelashes and the lip-licking were turned on Jack, and the Colonel had to fight to hold back an answering smile.

/Shit, O'Neill, at least act like you have a spine when it comes to letting Danny take his time./

"Okay. Get a move on, and let me know if this place is safe, then."

Thirty minutes later, Daniel and Iain stood up.

"Okay, Jack, I've got it. This is in an ancient derivation of, believe it or not, a Polynesian language. It's lucky it has the same roots as Assonian, which I know. Rough translation is that all who come through the sacred hole..."

"Sacred hole?" One eyebrow raised as Jack tried not to crack a smile.

Daniel glared at his CO. "Yes, Jack, sacred hole. Anyway, it's a welcome, of sorts. Except that it goes on to mention that all who come in truth will be set free, and who comes with lies in their hearts will forever be lost."

"Huhh?"

"I know, it's cryptic. I think we need to see if there are any more artifacts around that might shed some light on this. Maybe it's some kind of technology or something. Have you heard from Teal'c and the others?"

"They all checked in a few minutes ago. Carter's team are on their way back now. I called in the others, too."

The radio bleeped. "MacPherson to MacNeill, out."

"O'Neill here, Sgt. Major. Go ahead, out."

"I found somewot herein that yon Daniel ought to take a gander at, Sir. It's a grand ruun wi' lots of sparkies, out."

Daniel clicked in. "Andrew, this is Daniel. You found a large ruin with lots of sparkly things like crystals or jewels of some kind?"

"Aye, laddie-buck, t'is just like ye like, eh? MacPherson, out."

"What are the directions, Andrew?"

"Daniel, say 'out' when you're done, or he won't know you're through speaking."

"Okay Jack, Sorry."

"I'm three klicks north by one klick east of ye, Daniel, following the dry spring bed. Walk one klick east and ye'll find it. Out."

Jack spoke up. "We'll be there in a few minutes. Sgt-Major, don't touch anything, just stay there and wait for us. Everyone, do you hear me? Check in with me, then head one klick east of the stargate, and three klicks north to meet up. O'Neill out."

"Carter here, Colonel. We were on our way back, but we'll just head east from here, since we're about three klicks north of you now, unless you want us to regroup. Carter out."

"Okay, Carter, I'd just as soon not leave the newbies near any potential technology alone, even though I trust Andrew not to touch anything. Get there as soon as you can. We'll meet you there. O'Neill out.

"Surrey here, Colonel. I'm west of MacPherson about two klicks, so I'll head over to him from here, okay? Surrey out."

"Fine, Surrey. O'Neill out." Jack looked up at his two colleagues. "Okay, let's go see what MacPherson found."

* * *

The ruins were rather odd-looking ones.

Daniel started talking as soon as he was within visual range of the thing.

"Jack, look at that! It isn't Goa'uld in origin, because of the round shape of the building. The only Earth cultures that I know of that built ..."

Jack fought down a smile at Daniel's excitement and just enjoyed letting his lover's soft voice waft over him. From long practice, he siphoned out the words that didn't have any interest to him, in other words, those which didn't involve a danger to the team, Daniel talking of doing something rash that would get him or them in trouble, a possible weapon against the Goa'uld, Daniel talking or acting dirty, that sort of thing.

O'Neill zoned back in when he heard the words, "... far older than any Goa'uld technology we've encountered so far, almost as old as Asgard technology, it seems to me. We won't know until a piece of this wall can be carbon dated back at base. Come on, let's go in."

"Daniel, wait a minute here. Carter, what do you think about those crystals in the wall on this side? Do they look like any technology you've seen before?"

Sam ran her sensor over the crystals. "Well, the material isn't anything we've come across before, but I can see some crystalline similarities to the crystal the Ancients used for the DHDs. This strip with the crystals could be some kind of control panel."

"Sooo, does that mean it *does* something?"

It was Daniel who answered. "This writing on this panel next to the strip, from what I can make of it, says that the truth will set us free, but as long as there is falseness, then there will be chains."

"Truth again. Didn't Martin Luther King say that in that speech of his?"

"Yes, but truth setting the spirit free is pretty much a universal concept. It's understandable that it would show up in other cultures."

"That's true. But does this *do* anything?"

"Colonel, from the EM readings I'm getting here, I'm thinking that this strip is already active, doing something, but I'm not sure what."

"I don't like the sound of that, Carter, it could be like what happened on Cimmeria where we almost lost Teal'c. I'm pulling the mission. Let's go, people, back to the stargate!"

"But Colonel!" "But Jack..."

"Can it. Back to the stargate now, and that's an order!"

Daniel and Sam knew from long experience not to argue with that tone. They canned it, and followed O'Neill and the others away from the ruins.

Unfortunately, they didn't make it.

As soon as the party stepped beyond the perimeter of the ruins, they disappeared in a flash of bright light.

To Jack, it seemed as though he was taking a step closer to the stargate one minute, and the next he was stepping down in a stone chamber. An old, cold stone chamber.

"Shit. We got transported, just like on Cimmeria!" Automatically the Colonel scanned around the room, counted heads, checked for exits, and threat-assessed. All the heads were here, there were zero exits, and there also appeared to be no visible threats.

"Daniel, Carter, analyze and report where the hell we are."

"I'm sure we're on the same planet, Colonel. The stone of this chamber is similar to the natural stone on the surface. We're underground, I'm not sure how far, and it appears there is no way in or out other than the transport mechanism."

"There's writing here, Jack, on this plaque, and it says, um, the equivalent of the exit follows upon a day and a night of complete truth. Seek the truth, and you will live it."

"That isn't very helpful, Daniel. Can you infer anything from it that might get us out of here?"

"Well, I'm thinking that it has to do with the fact that people say small untruths to one another all the time. We do it so as to cheer them up, such as a husband telling a wife she doesn't look fat even if she does, that sort of thing. We lie to not hurt people, to be nice, to keep our jobs, to exist in a civilized society. Apparently, this is saying that we won't get out of here unless we ask for truth."

"So ya mean that I just say that I want the truth, and an exit will appear?"

"No. Each of us have to ask, or we can't get out of here. Once we ask, I'm assuming that something will make us tell the complete and utter truth to each other for a day and a night on this world. How many hours would that be for a planetary rotation, Sam?"

"Approximately seventeen hours, Daniel, the planet has a shorter rotation than ours."

"Well, how hard can it be to tell the truth for seventeen hours?"

Daniel looked at his lover and CO. "That depends. If it was Tanny, or Teal'c here, then there would be little problem, since both of them are almost completely truthful due to cultural training. But for the rest of us, Jack, it might not be as easy."

"As far as I can see, Daniel, we got no choice here, do we? We all have to ask for this truth, and just make it through the time period involved."

"There's another risk, Colonel." Iain spoke up suddenly.

"What risk?"

"Well, this place is pretty old, isn't it Daniel?"

"Yes, at least a thousand years old, I think."

"What if we go through this truth thing, and the mechanism that gets us out of here doesn't work any more?"

Sam answered. "I'm thinking, Lt. Colonel, that the transport device is the mechanism for removing us. If that's the case, it worked well to get us here, then there should be no reason for it not to work to get us out again."

"Well, I don't see any alternative. I guess we're going to be seekers after the truth for a while." Jack looked around and raised his voice. "I seek the truth!"

A light bathed Colonel O'Neill for a few seconds, then winked out. Everybody stared at him.

"God, you all look like a school of gaping fish, staring at me like that."

Daniel looked at Sam. "It could be working."

"I don't know, Daniel, that sounds an awful lot like the normal Colonel O'Neill."

"Well, I guess I'd better try it too, just to see if it works. I seek the truth!"

The light engulfed Daniel, then again disappeared. Now everyone stared at Daniel.

"You're right, Jack, they do look like a school of shocked fish, staring like that. Or they look like you do most of the time when Sam or I say something over your head."

Daniel clapped a hand to his mouth. "Sorry, Jack. Um, I think it's working."

After that, everyone told whatever caused the light that they were seeking the truth. They all got bathed in light, and every one of them tried hard to keep from saying anything.

* * *

Daniel came over and sat closely next to Jack, who had found a place in the corner by himself.

"Hi."

Jack smiled at his lover. "Hi. You know something, you look really hot to me right now, for some reason."

The archeologist smiled. "Is that the truth talking? You always say stuff like that."

"It's the truth. I mean, look at you. Your hair looks like it hasn't been washed in days and is standing straight up like a little boy's, your face and hands are grimy, you smell, I just love it when you smell strong like that, Danny..."

"That's it! Enough of the compliments, Jack, jeez! You like my smell when I stink?"

Jack leered at him. "Yup. The stinkier, the better."

"God, O'Neill, you're weird. I guess that's why I love you so much. I always did like crazy people."

"Hey, I'm as sane as the next guy!"

Iain came up to them right at that moment. "Sanity is relative, Colonel. By any scale, you are definitely not sane." He sat down close to the two of them.

Daniel narrowed his blue eyes at the Scotsman. "No one can insult Jack but me, Iain. You may want him as your lover, but he's mine, not yours."

"Danny!" Jack was shocked by Daniel's obvious jealousy, and to tell the truth, turned on by it as well.

Iain, unfazed as usual, grinned. "What makes you think that I only want Jack, Daniel?Ê Personally, I think you're as hot as a steambath as well. I was thinking more along the line of a threesome."

Jack reddened, since Iain was looking more at him than at Daniel. Not to mention that the younger man was licking his lips like Daniel always did. "Can it, Lt. Colonel. We're on duty now, so keep your comments to yourself."

"How the hell do you expect me to do that, Colonel? We're now forced to tell the bloody truth. The truth is that I want you to fuck me until I scream while Daniel sucks me off!" Surprisingly enough, the pain in Iain's face was real as he said this. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about the two of you since you left Mull. How can you blame me if I want to be a part of what the two of you have, Jack? You're, um, you're perfect!"

"Jack, perfect? Are you kidding, Iain? He's obnoxious, rude, sarcastic, he cuts me off when I'm saying things even though they're important, he tells me to shut up in front of enemies and friends, he treats me disrespectfully most of the time..."

"Dan-iel."

Jack's warning drawl brought Daniel to his senses. "Um sorry, Jack."

"Okay, maybe he isn't perfect, but the two of you, together, you make up my idea of the perfect lover. I can't help but want you. You're all I've ever wanted."

"Hey, Murray, for what it's worth, we think you're pretty neat yourself. Not to mention hot as hell when you stand up to me. Which of course, you shouldn't do when you're on duty."

"I know I shouldn't, Colonel. I just can't help myself sometime. I do it just to see you get all fired up. You look so goddamn hot when your blood boils, I almost get off just watching you."

"Shit, Murray, go sit with your team, or something."

"Why? So you can make that erection go down? Maybe I like seeing it responding to me talking."

"You're out of line, Mister!"

"We're all out of line, O'Neill, because of this damned truth stuff!" Iain got up. "I'll leave you two to ogle each other." He huffed off, to join with Teal'c and Surrey, who were sitting in another corner talking.

Jack watched Iain with an eye on his hot backside, as he huffed off. "Do you think he's really serious about how he feels, Daniel?"

"Of course he is, Jack. He can't lie, remember?"

Daniel's annoyed tone brought O'Neill's eyes up to look at his friend. "You're really are jealous of Iain, aren't you?"

"That's a part of it, Jack. But there's another part of me that wants to take him up on his offer. I've always found Iain attractive. I think the thing that attracts me about him the most is the hot way he responds to you, and you to him. It reminds me of the way you always get with Colonel Dan."

"Ya know, we really shouldn't be having this conversation on duty. Come on, let's go see how the truth is affecting Carter and MacPherson.

Sam, Lt. Evans, and Andrew were hunched down in the middle of the huge room, eating some rations and talking very little.

"Hey Carter, Lieutenant, MacPherson. How's it going?"

"Ach, MacNeill, A've insulted these bonny lassies with all this truth stuff, and A'm lucky they ha' no' drilled me a new one! A Sergeant- Major ought ta have better control o'er himself."

"I know what you mean, MacPherson. It'll be a wonder one of us isn't murdered before the time is up. But in a way, it's been good for us, ya know, clearing the air and all that."

"I don't know how us insulting each other can be good for the teams."

"But Sam, I agree with Jack. It's not like we're mindless animals with no impulse control."

"You might want to exclude the Colonel from that, Daniel. I'd say he's the king of poor impulse control."

"Hey, at least I'm not repressed and antisocial, Carter!"

"What do you mean, repressed? I just work hard, twice as hard as most people at the SGC!"

"Sam, I work just as hard as you, you know. Jack's right. You are repressed, and you aren't comfortable with people."

"What would you know about it, Daniel? You're a whiny, undisciplined, touchy-feely type geek who never follows orders, and because you're the Colonel's favorite, you get away with it."

"That's enough, Carter..."

"Well, at least I don't have horribly bad hair, like you, Sam. Why did you go with that new style? Was it to attract a certain Air Force Colonel? We all know how you feel about..."

"Fuck you Daniel!"

"Daniel, Carter, move to opposite sides of the room. Do it now!" Both teammates did as Jack ordered. "MacPherson, I'm not sure if my team will survive this."

The older man grinned. "Ach, Colonel, they'll be just fine, once that light thing wears off. Then we can all just claim that it was the alien influence that made us do it."

"How come you don't sound like you've been affected, Mac?"

"That's easy eno' to answer. By the time a man makes Sergeant-Major, he or she has enough rank and respect no' to have to pull the verbal punches, Colonel. I speak as I see fit."

"So, it's kind of like the cultural training that Daniel was talking about earlier."

"Aye, kind of like that."

"Sir?"

Jack turned to look at the quiet and bookish British officer. "Yes, Lieutenant Evans?"

"If we say something that's against the rules, will we be punished?"

"We're under the influence of an alien mechanism, Lieutenant. I'm sure that would be taken into consideration if anyone did anything really bad. Why?"

"Oh, I was just hearing what people are saying to each other, and some of the conversations are getting pretty personal, and pretty heated."

"Well, I guess what Daniel said about civilization requiring the white lies is true. We're all professionals here. It will be fine."

O'Neill spoke too soon. Shouting came from the corner where Teal'c, Surrey, Daniel, and Iain were sitting. Sergeant Surrey jumped up and loomed over Daniel, who quietly stood up to face him.

"You have no cause to insult me like that, you four-eyed geek, you! Just because I ain't got the brains you do's no cause to speak down to me."

"I didn't mean to insult you, Sergeant, I just thought it was funny that you had no idea what a..."

The Sergeant yelled and went after Daniel. Teal'c was pulling out of a deep kel'no'reem and couldn't grab the sergeant before he was on Daniel. Iain jumped up and tried to get between the two men as Jack and MacPherson arrived. Jack grabbed Surrey from behind, pulling him off of Daniel and pulling him off balance as well. Iain grabbed Daniel and pulled him away from the Brit, murmuring soothingly to him all the while.

As soon as Surrey jumped back up from Jack's tackle, MacPherson went into drill sergeant mode, and shouted at Surrey loud enough to get through his anger.

"Stand down now, Mister, or God help me, I will have Teal'c tie you up, you hear me?"

Jack noticed that Mac had very little accent when he talked like that.

Surrey stood at attention.

"I'm not even going to ask what this was about. We're all under the influence of that alien thingie, and that's what is causing all of this stramash! Hit the sack, Sergeant, that's an order."

"Yes, Sir."

Jack came up to Surrey. "I apologize for anything said by my team, Sergeant, that might have seemed insulting to you."

"Thank you, Sir, but I think I over-reacted a wee bit. Could you relay my apologies to Dr. Jackson, Sir?"

"I'll do that. Now go get some rest. I doubt there is any reason for us to set a watch."

Jack turned to where Iain was talking with Daniel.

"Daniel, I think it's time we hit the sack. Too much of the fucking truth is going to cause an international incident."

"I didn't mean to insult the Sergeant, Jack. I mean, I tell you the same thing all the time, and you don't seem to care."

"I'm used to your snarky personality, Daniel. The Sergeant isn't. Suffice it to say that he didn't like whatever comment you made. Don't make it again, that's an order. Now, let's get our bedrolls ready." Jack looked over at Iain and nodded, silently thanking him for calming Daniel down.

Murray nodded back, then winked, of course causing Jack to redden.

/Damn uppity Brit! Damn hot uppity Brit. Shit, I can't even lie to myself!/

* * *

Jack was dreaming. He was in his bed, lying on his side and experiencing the lovemaking of his life. Daniel was sucking him off, the warm suction from his lover's lips and mouth pulling him close to exploding. Someone else, he couldn't see who it was, was fucking him hard from behind, hitting his sweet spot and sending electric shocks through his entire body. The big cock inside him was thrusting so hard and deep that he felt like he would split in two, yet the pain was so mixed with pleasure that it was impossible to tell the difference between the two feelings.

As his mystery lover sped up his thrusts in anticipation of climaxing, Daniel deep-throated Jack, and the Colonel fired off, shooting rivers of come down Danny's throat. At almost the same time, his other lover shot his seed into Jack, burning inside him from the heat of it.

"Jack, wake up."

O'Neill felt the light touch at his temple, and woke up immediately as he'd been trained to do so many years ago.

"What?"

"You were dreaming, pretty loudly." Daniel whispered. "Wish I had had the same dream. It sounded great."

"Shit, I had a frigging wet dream, Daniel!" Jack whispered back, reddening as he felt the wetness in his shorts.

"Well, I hope it was about me."

"Yeah, you and someone else I couldn't see. The two of you had me in a sandwich, you sucking me off and whoever it was fucking me hard."

/Shit! I shouldn't have told him about the mystery guy. He'll be hurt./

"I don't think I like you dreaming about another man, Jack."

"Well what do ya expect me to do about it, Daniel? It was a dream. You can't do anything about what you dream about."

"No, but under the influence of the truth light, I expect that our dreams are a reflection of the truth we're living. Was it Iain?"

"I didn't see him. He was behind me the whole time. I only saw you."

"Do you want to go to bed with Iain?"

Jack tried to temper his answer, but the light influence was too strong. "Yeah, Danny, I want *us* to go to bed with him. He wants us, you and I want him, we both like him, and he's experienced enough to know the score. He'll know it won't be permanent, it'll just be friendly loving. But if you don't want to do it, then I'll do what you want me to do."

"Don't I satisfy you, Jack?"

"Shit, of course you do, Danny. But you've felt what's between the three of us, I mean, it's hot as shit."

"Yes, I have. But us being together has been risky enough on your career, Jack. To bring a third party in, even for occasional sex, will increase that risk significantly. I don't want an attraction, no matter how strong it is, to cause you to get court-marshaled."

"I know. I didn't say I was okay to actually do anything, I just said I wanted to do it. Let's talk about this once we get home, okay?"

"Okay. Try to get some sleep, Jack, you look like you're at least sixty years old right now." Daniel put his hand up to his mouth in an oops gesture, once he realized what he had said.

"I'm going to remember these truths of yours, Daniel, and will get you for each painful jab, you hear me?"

"I do, and rightbackatcha, Jack. Now go to sleep." Daniel turned over in his sleeping bag and ignored O'Neill until the Colonel finally did fall back to sleep.

* * *

O'Neill stretched, glad he did manage to fall asleep after that dream he'd had. It was so realistic, he almost expected his ass to be sore from the reaming he'd taken. The stiffness in his crotch reminded him that he had come in his sleep.

/Nasty, I probably stink to high heaven. Think I can reach my backpack, get my extra shorts and slacks.../

The backpack was above Daniel's sleeping head. Jack reached, trying to keep his soiled BDUs inside the sleeping bag. Instead of capturing a backpack, he lost his balance and fell on top of poor Daniel!

Daniel shot awake, shouting confusedly, "Shit Jack, not now, everyone'll see us. Besides, you stink. Take a shower first."

"God damn it, Daniel, I'm not, uh, never mind."

"Do you two MIND? Sheesh, it's bad enough that you're all over him, and have been since we've been a team, but really. Haven't you heard of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Colonel?"

A standing Sam glared at them, and Jack snatched up the offending backpack, pulled himself back into his sleeping bag, and changed clothes quickly. Now that his career would be over as soon as these Brits got back and told Hammond, at least he might as well look professional as they took him to the brig.

From inside the sleeping bag, Jack huffed, "Can it, Carter, I fell on Daniel trying to get to my pack."

"Sure, and I'm a General."

"What are you, on the rag, Carter? I thought that came at the end of the month, not the beginning."

"It's better than being on the rag all the time, which is what you act like, *Sir*."

Jack scrambled up. "You're out of line, major."

Sam sighed, blushing a little. "I know I was. Sorry Colonel. This truth thing is making me keeping my mouth shut difficult."

"Me too. It's okay, Major. We're still a team."

Suddenly Jack disappeared from the room and reappeared in the midst of a village of people.

"Shit, Jack's gone!" Daniel shouted. "Has seventeen hours gone by, then?"

"No. It looked like the transport beam took him right after he said we're still a team."

"The absolute truth, he told the absolute truth, forgave us all we said to him, so he was set free!" Daniel turned to Sam. "Maybe we didn't have to wait the entire time out. Maybe if we all stepped through these truths and forgave each other, we could have been out of here yesterday. Sam, I'm glad you're on my team, and Teal'c as well. You're my family, and I'd hate to see us get upset over this."

"Me too, Daniel. I care for all of you."

Sam and Daniel disappeared and reappeared in the village where Jack was.

"Ah, just in time, Daniel. Do you think you can talk to these guys? I'm glad you two figured it out."

Iain, Andrew, and Teal'c appeared then, followed closely by Surrey and Evans. Iain came up to Jack, grinning.

"All we had to do the entire time was just forgive each other! What a weird trip!"

"That it was, Lt. Colonel, that it was." Jack looked over all of his augmented team. "I'm assuming what went on in there stays here, all. Do any of you have a problem with that?"

Andrew grinned at Jack. "Ye mean aboot yer and Daniel being more than friendly? Ach, dinna worry yerself none, MacNeill. All of us here willna say naught."

Iain smiled at jack, the playful look back in his eyes. "My team knows about me, Colonel, and they've never told anyone. You don't have to worry about loose lips with them, about you and Daniel."

"Um, Jack, I think I've figured out what they are saying to us."

"What, Daniel?"

Daniel blushed and smiled. "They're saying the Polynesian equivalent of "took you all long enough, what are you, thick-headed or something?""

The laughter that came out then was a little strained, but real, never the less. The first mission of the British Invasion hadn't turned out so bad after all.

The End


End file.
